A former town employee from Cohasset, Massachusetts, named Nadeam Nahas, was scheduled to appear in court on Thursday as a suspect in an alleged cryptocurrency mining operation that was illicitly connected to the electrical system of Cohasset Middle High School. According to Cohasset Police Chief William Quigley, a criminal complaint was filed against Nahas for fraudulent use of electricity and vandalizing the school.
The investigation into this matter began in December of 2021 when detectives were summoned to the school to investigate a possible cryptocurrency mining operation that was discovered by the director of facilities in a remote crawl space underneath the school.
During a routine inspection of Cohasset Middle High School, the director of facilities noticed several unusual items, including electrical wires, temporary duct work, and multiple computers, according to police reports. After investigating the matter, authorities concluded that the setup was an illicit cryptocurrency mining operation that was connected to the school’s electrical system without permission.
The equipment used in the operation was confiscated and examined by Cohasset police, with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Department of Homeland Security.
After a three-month investigation, the police identified a suspect who worked as an assistant facilities director for the town of Cohasset. The police department then requested a show cause hearing at Quincy District Court, where a criminal complaint was filed against Nahas.
The case involved investigators, Cohasset police, and members of the Department of Homeland Security, who collaborated to remove the cryptocurrency miners from the crawlspace of the high school. The investigation spanned three months and it was estimated that the mining operation had stolen around $17,492 worth of electricity.
Nahas is one of several individuals who have been accused of stealing electricity to fuel cryptocurrency mining operations in the past.
Nahas is set to be arraigned on February 23, 2023, in Quincy District Court. When contacted by phone, the former Cohasset school employee who stands accused of the crime declined to comment on the matter, according to Bennett.
